Even if all 100,000 wildlings and the giants could get over the Wall, and they could just leave their baggage train and livestock and mammoths behind, that would probably damage the Wall too much, and it’s the only available defence against what theyre running from

Does it not bother anyone else that everyone keeps misquoting the Entertainment Weekly article? D&D never promised that this episode would be Game of Thrones’ finest hour, as another article here on Winter is Coming says in its title and in the article. And here again we have in the podcast that David and Dan said in a joint statement to Entertainment Weekly that, “The Children is going to be the finest hour of Game of Thrones yet.” That’s not what they said. D&D describe The Children as “perhaps the finest hour we’ve produced.” They did state that the episode would be the best finale, bar none, but only perhaps the best episode.

Hodor learning to say more than Hodor: Since Nan implied that Hodor is descended from giants, I’ve always had this theory that he could speak the language of the First Men, as other giants do. And that if he ever meets up with giants in the series, he’ll just start gabbing away.

I got the impression the giants were father and son. The one that got shot down had white/grey hair while the one charging the gate had brownish hair. Certainly not confirmation and I’m sure we will never find out but I like to think it was that way.

The Children refers to so many things this next episode:

Bran/Children of the ForrestTywin’s Children betray him (Jaime/Tyrion)Dany caging her ChildrenUnCat, if it happens, returning to avenge her Children

Probably some more I’m not thinking of as well.

Janos will be interesting because only Sam/Gilly saw him. Janos may try and act like it didn’t happen and call Sam/Gilly liars. We already saw most of the Brothers not believing Sam about killing the White Walker. And due to the heat of the battle it will be hard for anyone to say he wasn’t out there fighting with them.

About the placement of the attack on the Wall. Good points about Mance needing to attack the tunnel as that is the only way through. However, they should have had the climbers climb up each side several miles down and then flank the guys on the top of the Wall.

Ginevra: Does it not bother anyone else that everyone keeps misquoting the Entertainment Weekly article?

Not really a big deal to me. Whether it’s the best season finale ever or the best episode ever will depend on each individual person and their definition of best. The interviews are mostly all for hype anyway. If I didn’t already know what was coming up I would think they were full of shit.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but does anyone else think that Kate is one of the most thoughtful and funniest Game of Thrones reviewers on the interwebs? I have read (and listened to) nearly every reviewer worth reading and listening to, and she is the only one who seems to consistently hit the nail on the head, and to do so in an interesting and engaging way.

Game of Owns is a great, great show. One of the best entertainment-related shows of its kind. But Kate sits on top of this heap (figuratively).

Okay, now that I got that out of my system: I can’t wait for the finale! I might just sleep through tomorrow and most of Sunday.

One thing about Slynt. He is a coward, a bully and a petty tyrant. An awful character.

But not because of his actions at the Battle of the Wall. As almost happened to Pyp (who may have broken down just as badly as Slynt had it not been for Sam), people can fall apart in the face of imminent (and violent) death. Some of the bravest soldiers I have known were occasionally overwhelmed in the face of live fire.

In my mind, Slynt is a horrible person because of what he does when he has power. His gleeful slaughtering of Robert’s bastards, his betrayal of Ned Stark, his suggestion to Thorne of how to dispose of Jon Snow. That is the evidence of his despicable nature.

And I totally agree with Kate. There’s absolutely nothing boring about governance (and the strategies and necessities of it), particularly in a volatile and exotic place such as Slaver’s Bay. That material is so interesting. But I do believe the show-runners haven’t done it justice. These aren’t just the “doldrums of history” as Kate says. These are some seriously interesting doldrums – with dragons! Dragon-infused doldrums, if you will.

Though I imagine we’ll get the Sons of the Harpy next season, as that may spice things up (and will resonate with a modern audience given recent events in the Middle East).

Zack and Eric mentioned something during one of their answers to a listener message that had me theorizing as to what may happen. I thought, “Is that possible? I guess so. Oh, could it be…?” It’s good that Zack and Eric didn’t notice and put two pieces together because it may have just confirmed my suspicion if they put it out there and Kate and Micah tried to manage speculation. Funny it’s the Unsullied hosts that provoked this theory when it’s usually Micah’s hype that gets the gears working.

I’m excited for this, but dreading it because if it does turn out to be as good as the Sullied expect it to be, I’ll be sad there won’t be a new episode next week to see where it goes next.

Danys storyline is what fantasy never addresses. We always see the good guy become the good king and rule wisely. What is ruling wisely? Its much harder than it seems. You can’t just say the kingdom flourished because the king ruled with a just hand. What is justice?

Tbh, the plot thread that has been the least developed is the Wall. Jon, his relations with his brothers, with the wildlings, none of it is fleshed out. None of my Unsullied friends care about the wall. 10 hours a season isn’t enough lol

spacechampion:
I think of the 100k wildlings, maybe 20k at most are warriors.It might be as little at 10k.The idea being anybody who can fight must fight.

I’d guess about 1% of Westerosi are warriors, guards, knights, thugs based on medieval rates of militarization.So 10%-20% for wildlings is generous.

Every wildling is a fighter, perhaps not a warrior, but every single one would have to fight to survive from the time they were even just half-grown. And when they stop fighting, I imagine they stop living. That’s what makes them so wild, innit?